lbraden@sps.edu writes:>Dear Kevin,>>Before starting, make sure that they can do pencil-and-paper arithmetic, we>hope with understanding, but this will be a pipe dream in many cases.>>Start of page 1 of any good 1950's algebra book, (Weeks and Adkins *First>Course in Algebra* would be an excellent choice) and work your way towards>the end. (As far as I know, there are no good algebra books currently in>print.) Give them enough drill so that the mechanical manipulations of>algebra become mindless.>>This might take two years, it depends on the students, but that's OK.>Forget the double periods; they probably hate math now and double periods>would only make things worse.>>This program works. Been there, done this.>>Don't be afraid to fail those who do not meet your standards.>>Lawrence S. Braden>lbraden@sps.edu>St. Paul's School>Concord, NH 03301>(603)225-9104

I see, a sort of separate-the-wheat-from-the-chaff approach to teaching andlearning. Most of your recommendations can be found in a handout Ireceived in a workshop, entitled "How to Teach Kids to Hate Math". As younoted, it seems to have worked worked well in that regard where you areteaching.

Unfortunately, where I'm working teachers are responsible for the learningof *all* their students, and are required to modify teaching strategies toaccommodate different learning styles. So I'm afraid your suggestions won'twork for me. Thanks for posting them--I'm looking forward to teaching nextweek even more than ever.